Soulmates
by shellshock81
Summary: When Edward finds a mysterious journal in his new apartment, he knows he shouldn't succumb to the temptation to read it, but once he sees his name on the page, he's drawn into the words and their hints at his past.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This was my submission for SU4K. The beautiful Katalina requested a story about soul mates, and this popped into my head the next day as I watched my kids play with the neighbors. **  
**Dedication: For Katalina… your life and words are an inspiration. Thanks for being you.**

* * *

"Thanks again, Jasper," I say into the phone. "You have no idea how helpful you've been. I can't believe we'll be living in the same city again soon. It's been too long."

"Don't even mention it, man," he replies. "You'd do the same for me if I needed it. Besides, most of it was luck. If Alice's friend hadn't found such a great deal on the house on Dawn Avenue and finally decided to spend some of her inheritance money, she wouldn't need to lease out her old apartment."

It sounds like more than luck to me, though. The timing was so perfect it felt as if fate had intervened to get me this job at exactly the right moment so this woman and I could save the other in a pinch.

"Yeah, well, hopefully once my lease runs out, I can just renew with the apartment complex. Moving sucks ass, and I'm not looking forward to doing it again six months from now. I wish I'd had more time to look for a place, but this is pretty much my dream job. No way am I turning it down because I can't find somewhere to live fast enough. The only job better than this would be working for ESPN," I joke.

"Maybe one day you will. You never know," Jasper responds, ever the supportive friend. We'd grown up together in a tiny town in Washington called Forks, but had gone our separate ways for college. Jasper studied music at Northwestern where he met the love of his life, Alice, a petite brunette with more get-up-and-go than the Energizer bunny. I traveled clear across the country to study sports broadcasting at Duke but had to move back home until I found a viable job.

After living with my parents for five months with absolutely no prospects, I was getting ready to call it quits and just take a job at the local newspaper. At least then I could move out of my parents' house. As luck would have it, I finally heard back from CSN in Chicago in the nick of time. They were in desperate need of someone for college basketball coverage immediately, and since I'd covered one of the best basketball teams in the nation for four years, my resume was pushed to the top. After a phone interview, I had the job and four days to report to my desk. "Sports data specialist" is clearly an entry level position, but I knew if I worked hard I could eventually move up.

"Well, I'm going to finish packing a few last minute things and hit the sack. I'll see you at the airport tomorrow at two, right?"

"Yeah, Ali's not coming with anymore, though. She's helping move everything out of the apartment so it'll be ready when we get there. At least you don't have to move a bunch of furniture in. That's the worst part." I can hear the relief in his voice. I helped Jasper and Alice move into their first home about a month ago, right before their wedding, and they were the hardest two days I can remember in a long time. Couches and refrigerators are fucking heavy.

"You don't have to tell me, man. I'll see you tomorrow then, and thanks again, Jas."

I click my phone off and double check all my stuff. The only things left out are what I'll need in the morning to get ready. Ready to start my new life, I climb into my old bed for the last time.

oOoOoOo

Saying goodbye to my parents at the airport is harder than I'd thought it would be. Whenever I left home before, there was always a chance I'd be coming back to Forks to live. This time I'm definitely not returning for anything more than a visit. Somehow though, I'm able to keep myself from tearing up while Mom snots and cries all over me. Thankfully, Dad just gives me a one-armed hug and tells me he's proud of me.

The plane touches down just a few minutes late and Jasper is waiting for me at baggage claim. We spend a few hours unpacking my stuff. Most of the contents are my clothes, but I have a couple pictures of my parents and my college buddies, Emmett and Carlisle. We went to every home Duke game together during our four years, so I also have an autographed basketball signed by the entire team and my pride and joy – a jersey signed by the legendary Coach K.

Oh, and let's not forget the fan-fucking-tastic 72-inch television my parents had delivered today as a congratulations-on-your-new-job gift. It takes us close to an hour to mount the TV on the wall and we are starving by the time we finish. While eating pizza and watching TV, I catch Jasper up on all of the gossip back home and ask him about my new landlady.

"She's great. You'll meet her soon, I'm sure. She's going out of town for the next three days so maybe when she comes back."

"I still can't believe she let me move in here without meeting me first."

"Yeah, well… it's not like you're just anybody. Alice can practically finish her sentences, they are so close. She knows Alice would never let some wacko move in," Jasper grins at me.

"So, is she into fashion as well?" Fashion isn't really my area of expertise, but according to Jasper, Alice is one of the best in the area.

"Nah, they met in school when Alice saw her dance one night and insisted on being her personal wardrobe designer from now 'til the end of time. You know Ali. She had one of her _feelings_." Jasper rolls his eyes a little, but I know he's all talk. Alice had had that same feeling about him. She walked up to him in a bar one day and said, "I've been waiting for you." Jasper never stood a chance.

"So, she dances?" I ask.

"Yep, ballet, mostly. And she's amazing. She's always acting crazy and doing those spin moves with the leg out when we get together. I think she calls them 'a la secondes' or something."

Jasper throws down the crust of his pizza and I'm tugged into a long-forgotten memory.

"_Quit spinning round in circles and come pway with me, Behwla," I huff. Why does she always gotta spin around? It's so boring! Tee-ball is lots more fun but only when Bella plays with me. I hate chasing after the balls myself._

"_I'm not just spinnin'. They're _called_ 'a la secondes' and I need to practice if I want to do good at my recital. Besides, you never let me hit." She doesn't even look at me. It stinks when Bella won't play with me because she's twirling around._

"_When's your recital?" I ask. I wonder if Mom will take me. _

"_Saturday." She _finally_ stops spinning and looks at me. "Can you come?"_

"_I'll ask my mom, but only if you play tee-ball with me! I'll let you hit first. Please!" I beg her._

_She smiles at me big and runs over to grab the bat. "I can't wait for you to see my costume. I'm going to look just like a ladybug!"_

"Bella? I thought her name was Isobel?"

"Isobel is her stage name, but her friends call her Bella. Isobel was probably on the paperwork I emailed to you as well. Why?"

"Nothing, just a strange coincidence. The girl who lived in your house before you moved in was named Bella. We played together all the time, but she was always taking dance classes. I even went to one of her recitals. I'd almost forgotten about her until you mentioned the 'a la secondes.'" I ball my napkin up and stand to throw it away.

"Huh," Jasper says, wrinkling his brows. "I don't think I've ever heard her mention living anywhere but here before she went to Julliard, but she would've been really young when she moved so maybe she doesn't remember. Wouldn't it be cool if Bella used to live in my old house, though?"

"Nah, I doubt she's the same girl. Just a coincidence like I said, but it'd be crazy if she is," I reply as Jasper stands to leave. "Anyway, thanks for your help, man. I'm going to finish up tomorrow, I think. It's been a hectic few days. Maybe once Bella gets back, everyone can come over here. I can grill out if it's not too chilly, and thank you guys for all your help."

"Sounds good, man. I'm just happy to have you in the same city again," Jasper clasps my hand in his and pulls me in for a hug. "Give me a call if you need anything else. Ali and I can show you around this weekend before you start your job, if you like."

"Let's do it," I say, opening the door for him. "Thanks again, Jas."

"Anytime. Later, man."

I fall into bed a little later, exhausted but keyed up. It's kind of late, but since I'm still on Pacific Time, I don't see myself falling asleep for another couple of hours yet. I muse how insane it would be if my landlady is the same Bella. Until she moved away, that Bella was my best friend. Even though I was a little older, she had me wrapped around her little finger. She would usually give in and do what I asked, but we both knew I was doing whatever she wanted first. I constantly found myself playing school or house before she'd come outside and run around with me. At the time I never would have admitted it to anyone, _especially_ Bella, but I actually enjoyed when we played house and I got to pretend to be the dad.

I was devastated when they moved away, but then Jasper's family moved in shortly after, and my five-year-old mind quickly recovered from the loss. Eventually, I stopped asking my parents when Bella was coming back.

I toe off my shoes and open the drawer of the nightstand to set my watch inside when my fingertips bump into something hard. I reach further in to grab the object and find myself holding a brown leather journal. I know I probably shouldn't, but curiosity gets the best of me, and I flip it open. I justify my snooping by telling myself I'll just check out the date of the most recent entry. If it's not recent, maybe it isn't even Bella's.

The first half of the book is filled with pages of loopy, pretty writing and I note the entry on the last page is dated within the past week. I quickly realize I need to abort this mission immediately.

Just before the cover snaps shut, I notice my name at the top of the page.

I hesitate for all of half a second before flipping the book back open to find the entry, figuring she's probably just mentioned finding a tenant. I decide to just read the part about me, and then I'll close it and put it away.

**Oct. 29, 2012**

**Edward. I dreamed of the little boy again last night. It's the craziest thing ever. Alice called to tell me about Jasper's best friend who needed a place to stay right away. She told me his name – Edward Cullen – and that she'd met him several times, and he was a good guy. I knew I could trust Alice, so I didn't hesitate to accept. I'm so glad I don't have to worry about finding someone anymore! While his name didn't ring a bell at the time, it obviously means something to my subconscious. Because now, instead of the little boy in my dreams having no name, he is suddenly Edward. Does that mean he's real? Are these**** dreams I've been having really memories from my past? I'd already reasoned they were my future kids with Mr. Perfect. But where would I have known this boy? I don't recognize our surroundings. And maybe they wouldn't feel so significant if the dreams of the very adult, bronze-haired sex-god didn't leave me always wanting more. They feel so real—like if I try hard enough, I can actually wrap my arms around a memory that hasn't happened yet—and man, does he make me want to wrap my arms around him. I mean, UNF! He is so dreamy hot. And so damn perfect. That's probably my answer right there… no way he could be real… he's too perfect! I know, I know… it always comes back to that. But what if...**

**Until next time… maybe when I finally meet Edward for real, he'll have even more answers for me. HA! –XB**

The next entry is so short I didn't even notice it at the bottom of the page.

**Oct. 30, 2012**

**Oh. Em. Gee. I was right. The adult dream-Edward is so ideal there is no way he is real. (How do I know his name, you ask? Because it's the name he had me screaming in last night's dream–UNF!) Too busy for deets but couldn't resist noting that last night's dream was a-fucking-mazing! -XB**

Oh. Em. Gee. Is right.

Or maybe What. The. Fuck.

Is this girl dreaming about _me_? _Is_ this the same Bella, and why the fuck didn't she have more time to write about that dream? Inquiring minds want to know.

It wouldn't be wrong to read more now, right? I mean, she's writing about _me_!

Kinda. Sorta. I think. Maybe?

Knowing I'll give in eventually, I flip back another page and continue reading.

**Oct 28, 2012**

**I dreamed about Mr. Perfect again last night. I don't remember many details this time. He was just there and it felt right. I don't think he ever even touched me… but his presence was such a comfort. Isn't that strange? I'm not even sure what I needed comfort from. My life is pretty damn good... I have great friends, a job I adore, and now even my dream home. As crazy as it sounds, I think the only thing missing is him. Maybe one day I'll figure out who he is. -XB**

Whoa. That's kind of heavy. Sex dreams are one thing, but this melancholy entry has me wondering if I should stop reading. There's definitely more to these dreams than I originally thought, but if I read just a few more entries I can probably get a better grasp on her thoughts, maybe even figure out if this is _my_ Bella and if the childhood memories are about me.

I shake my head at these insane thoughts. Clearly, I need to put the journal back and go to sleep. There's no way this girl is talking about me.

_Way to be full of yourself, Cullen._ I close the journal and lay it on the nightstand before flopping back on my bed.

Approximately ninety seconds later I have the journal open again, searching for the prior entry.

**Oct. 25, 2012**

**My little friend visited me in my dreams last night. We were playing in a tree house this time. We kept putting Snickers in the lift to raise him in and out of the tree house because his front leg was bandaged up. Maybe he is real if my favorite childhood pet is in my dreams, too? I don't know. Maybe I've just inserted Snickers into my dreams because I found a bunch of pictures of him yesterday while I was packing. It's clear to me the little girl in my dreams idolizes this boy. I can feel it. Looking at him from four-year-old eyes, it feels like he hung the moon and the stars. I can see right through the nonchalant act she puts up for him and know without a doubt she would have done anything he asked, even if he'd never agreed to her silly demands in the first place. But if he is real and was so important, why can't I remember him? -XB**

For the second time today, I am knocked into another forgotten memory.

"_SNICKERS! NOOO!" I take off running toward the road, ignoring my dad yelling at me to stop. I know I'm not s'posed to go into the road but Snickers is Bella's most favorite thing in the world and he's not s'posed to, either._

_Snickers stops in the middle of the road and I'm almost caught up when I hear my mom screaming. I stop and turn to look at her. She looks pretty mad, but I know she'll forgive me. I have to get Snickers back to Bella. Before I turn back around, I hear a loud squeally noise and a sharp bark. _Oh no!

_My dad's caught up to me and he grabs me by the shoulders and fusses at me for running into the street, then gives me a big hug, but it doesn't make me feel better like usual 'cause I can hear Snickers whimpering. I shake out of Dad's grasp and turn to look for Snickers. He's lying right there at the edge of the road. He almost made it back. I feel the tears in my eyes, and I don't even care that little boys aren't s'posed to cry. Bella's gonna be so sad._

"_Daddy! You hafta save him!" I cry. "Bewlla loves him. Please, Daddy!"_

_I run to the edge of the road and scoop up the little dog in my arms before my dad has a chance to touch him. "Fix him, Daddy, please?" Daddy's a doctor. If he can make people better, fixing a dog should be easy, right? It makes sense, but still, thinking about how upset Bella's gonna be when she finds out something happened to Snickers makes me cry all over again._

_My mom reaches us and wraps me in one of her special big mommy hugs. It only makes me cry more. She tells me we are going inside to clean up while Daddy looks at Snickers. Mommy helps me wash my hands and wipes my face off, but I don't let her change my dirty clothes. I have to go tell Bella. I have to tell her I tried my best._

_Mom walks over to Bella's house with me, but I tell her I'm a big boy and ring the doorbell myself. Bella's Mom opens the door and looks confused when she sees me. I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes again, and I'm glad when Mom steps up behind me and tells her what happened. _

_Just then Bella comes running up, looking so happy to see me. When she sees my face, she stops for a second before running forward to hug me. It's almost as good as one of my special big mommy hugs. "Ehwurd! What's wrong? Why you cryin'?" she whispers._

_I confess immediately. _

"_Snickers ran into the road and a car hit him and I'm so sorry. I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen, but I promise I got to him as fast as I could. I even didn't listen to Mommy and Daddy when they told me to stop. But I went and got him and Daddy's fixin' him right now. He can fix people, so you know he can fix doggies, too. Right, Mommy? Daddy can fix him. I'm sorry, Behwla!"_

"_Snickers is huwrt?" Bella whispers again. She thinks about it for a minute before saying, "But you said he's gonna be okay? So why're you cryin'?"_

"_You're not mad at me?" I ask._

"_No. You saved Snickers. I love you!"_

I can't even believe it. There's no chance this is not the same Bella I remember. There's no way I'm stopping now. I flip to the front of the book and start with the first entry dated about five months ago.

**May 22, 2012**

**I graduated from Juilliard yesterday and promised myself I'd start keeping a journal. I'm not sure why. I have grand visions of giving it to my kids one day, but I'm sure that'll never happen. Alice gave me this beautiful leather-bound journal as a graduation present, so I figured why not? I don't have much to say though. This is kind of a lame first entry, huh? Oh well, until next time. -XB**

**May 27, 2012**

**I clearly suck at this journal stuff! I never remember to write in here, but last night I had the most realistic dream, and I just knew I had to write it down. I rarely remember my dreams, but this was so vivid even after I woke up this morning. I was a little girl, maybe four- or five-years old, wearing one of my many tutus, doing a la secondes (even back then!) and studiously ignoring a boy about my age. He wanted me to play Super Mario Brothers with him, and I wouldn't until we had a tea party. Even back then I was making guys work for it! Too bad none of the ones today seem to want to work that hard. Oh well… maybe this little boy will come back for me someday! HA! Yeah, right. Maybe when pigs fly. The dream filled me with such happiness, I couldn't resist writing it down so I could keep it forever. Until next time! –XB**

I flop my head back on my pillow for a second and contemplate what I'm about to do. It seems fairly obvious that Bella doesn't know for sure if these dreams are memories or just made up fantasies, and since she's such good friends with Jasper and Alice, it's likely we'll become good friends as well. This is such a huge invasion of her privacy.

There is just absolutely no way I can stop myself from learning every detail I can get my hands on, so I turn the page and continue reading.

**May 29, 2012**

**Well… I had another dream about that little boy! Wild, huh? We were playing house this time. I was the mom and he was the dad, of course, and he went right along with every daddy request I made! He burped our baby, gave her a bath, and put her down to bed. He even helped me wash dishes! How funny is that?! I keep saying "we" because in the dreams, I'm the little girl, but maybe I'm dreaming of my future kids or something? I've heard people do that sometimes. Oh…OH! Maybe that means good things are coming my way! –XB**

**May 30, 2012**

**I know! Two days in a row. Go me! Apparently this is turning into a dream diary. I had the BEST dream last night. Oh boy, but this time it was Mr. There's-No-Way-This-Man-Is-Real-Because-He's-Too-Perfect visiting me in my dreams. I think I'm going with my theory that my other dreams are about my future kids because they could be little miniature versions of me and Mr. Perfect. This man had THE most gorgeous hair I've ever seen in my life, and it was all rumpled like he'd just woken up. Somehow we were at my apartment—only I was standing in the hallway and he was inside. I think. I can't quite grasp it all the way anymore! I hate that, because I SO want to grasp this man. I wish I could describe the pull I felt toward him. It was as if we were supposed to come together in that moment, and nothing in the world could have stopped us. I must've woken up before anything good happened because I don't remember after that! Isn't that the worst luck? Until next time! –XB**

I read through the rest of Bella's journal, unable to stop. I become addicted to her words, and with entries three or four times a week, there are a lot of them. She must've documented every dream she had about me as a boy.

About us.

I'm so overwhelmed I have no idea what to think. Bella vacillated between thinking her dreams were some prediction of her future and some memory of her past. Peppered in between dreams, she wrote amusing stories of friends or her passion for dancing. Not much, just enough to give me a taste of the woman she is today.

My head swims with memories of us, memories that would only come to her in her dreams. Some are innocent. Others remind me of how important Bella was to me. Not that four- or five-year-old kids have romantic feelings, but I think we really believed when we were playing house that we'd grow up and be Mommy and Daddy together.

Our perceptions of these memories are so different. She wrote several times how she just knew that little boy could turn the sun on for her, but I always felt like I had to jump through hoops to impress her. Believe me; I tried hard to impress that girl.

Then there's the man that she dreamed about. Sometimes she called him Mr. Perfect. Or Mr. Right. Or my personal favorite—'Sex Hair.' Those dreams were fucking hot, and I had to stop myself from becoming a complete creeper and rubbing one out more than once reading those.

Outside of the sex dreams, there's rarely interaction between them though. He's often on the edge of the scene, fuzzy even, but he watches her intensely, always checking in.

Ensuring her safety.

Her comfort.

Her happiness.

Making sure she knows she's appreciated.

Wanted.

Loved.

Oh man, is this guy intimidating! From the way she describes him, he's beyond perfection. I don't see how I – or any other flesh and blood human, for that matter – could ever measure up.

Bella makes it clear that she will not settle for anything less than perfection in a boyfriend, or at least perfection for her. Part of me wants to scoff at her belief of finding the perfect love, yet another part admires her for not settling for anything less than she deserves. Bella's words… her memories… have made me feel more in one night than I've ever felt before.

I'm not entirely sure what to do with that information.

I realize it's creeping up on 2AM, and I had every intention of going to sleep early tonight. With my mind reeling, I set her journal down, turn off the light, and fall into a quick, and ironically dreamless, sleep.

oOoOoOo

I'm gradually awakened by a relentless pounding on my front door. I wonder who in the hell, in a city where I know exactly two people, would be pounding on my door at this ungodly hour.

Of course, maybe it wouldn't feel so early if I hadn't been a huge voyeur last night and stayed up reading a journal I had no business reading.

_You saw your name; you had every right to read it. For all you know she _wanted_ you to read it._ I can practically see the devil sitting on my shoulder whispering in my ear. I shake my head… that is a problem for another day.

"Coming!" I yell, before pulling on some sleep pants and trudging to the door. "Who is it?"

I hear an unfamiliar female voice through the door. "I'm so sorry, Edward. It's Bella Swan, your landlady. I left something here by mistake, and I wanted to make sure I got it before I leave on my trip."

_SHIT_. It's her! She must be here for her journal. What do I do? Will she recognize me? Do I say something or pretend I don't know her?

There's no doubt now that Bella is my long-lost and long-forgotten neighbor, and while she looks upon those memories fondly in her journal…I don't know for sure she wants to know him again. Is the man, her perfect Mr. Right, Sex Hair dream man, the same boy? Does she want him to be? Am I that man? I'm not sure that's me, and after reading this woman's words for hours last night, I'm definitely falling for her—or at least for her words.

Her wit and her charm.

Her determination not to settle for less than perfection.

Her love for her friends and her passion for dancing.

Deciding I'll follow her lead, I take a deep breath and open the door. I'm fully prepared to be aloof and act as if I have no clue who this girl is until she gives me some kind of sign otherwise.

Then I see her, standing on the welcome mat she left for me, wearing a long-sleeve tee, skin tight jeans, and flip-flops - dressed for travel. I'm pretty sure I forget how to breathe.

The sight of her there actually sucks the oxygen clear out of my lungs.

Her brown hair is in a messy pile on top of her head and she's worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. She is easily the most beautiful creature I've ever seen and when her deep, chocolate eyes meet mine, I know I'm a goner.

"Bella?"

Her purse falls to the floor as her mouth drops open in shock.

"Oh my gosh. It's you. I remember you." Her eyes are wide as saucers, and I'm not even sure she realizes she's speaking out loud. "I've been dreaming about you—almost every night. You're Edward? He's _you_?"

I want nothing more than to crawl inside her head to see exactly what she's thinking, what she wants… who she wants. Then, as if it has a mind of its own, my thumb is lightly grazing her cheek. I attempt to play it off by brushing back an imaginary stray hair, but then she closes her eyes and leans into my hand, so I wrap my fingers around the back of her neck and gently pull her to me. I step forward to close the distance between us and meet her in the middle. I have no idea what to say to her, so I continue to stare into her eyes as she places her palm gently on my bare chest. We both gasp a little at the contact, and it breaks the trance we've created.

"I just finally decided you were real. I never thought I'd actually meet you…and now you're here." she's barely even whispering to me, her eyes filled with amazement.

"I don't know if I can be the man in your dreams, Bella," I reply, hesitantly, "but I swear on my Coach K jersey to spend every minute of eternity trying."

Her eyes soften momentarily, but when she realizes what I've said, they narrow in anger.

"You read my journal!" she accuses, pushing me back into the apartment.

I feel the blood drain out of my face as I realize what I've done. I've broken her trust before I even had a chance to get to know her again. So much for being sexy-haired Mr. Right.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I really am. I had no intention of reading the whole thing. I was just going to see if the entries were recent at first. Then I saw my name, and I was instantly drawn in to your words. I remember it all. Snickers, your twirling, those fucking _tea parties_..." I laugh and shake my head, lifting my hand to her face again. "My world revolved around finding ways to make you happy when we were kids. And now… I've fallen for you all over again, just by reading your words. I remember, too, Bella… I remember how much I loved you, even back then. I'm not that little boy anymore, but idolizing you seems to come naturally. I'm scared I can't live up to being Mr. Perfect, but I know with everything in me, he is based on my adoration of you from when we were kids. Please, give me a chance."

Bella's eyes light up and a smile plays on her face. I figure this bodes well for me.

"Oh my gosh, Edward. You had me at 'I'm sorry' but there was no way I was interrupting that!" And suddenly she's teasing me. Just like that.

"Come here, you," I growl, hooking my hand around her neck and pulling her to me. I look into her beautiful, smiling face and slowly lean down, inching my way toward her. When our noses are touching, I gently nuzzle against her and close my eyes, breathing her in. "I suggest you run now if you don't want me to kiss you and fall completely, irrevocably in love with you. No way to stop it once I taste your lips."

Instead of giving her an opportunity to flee, I tighten my grip on her and gently brush her lips with mine. It's the softest of kisses, but it touches my soul deeper than anything else. Bella sighs softly and I take that as my green light. Pressing my lips against hers again, I gently suck her top lip between mine and slowly coax her mouth open. My tongue peeks out and swipes along her lower lip. It's all I can do to stop the groan from escaping when I feel her tongue reciprocate.

Finished being tentative, I slip my tongue into her mouth and kiss her fully, deeply, passionately, as my hands roam down her back and pull her closer to me.

Our first kiss in a lifetime of kisses to follow.

When her hands fist into my hair and she moans into my mouth, I feel my dick start to harden and realize we need to slow down before we get carried away. I do not want to do anything to scare this girl away.

I slowly back out of the kiss, keeping my arms firmly around her waist. I lightly peck at her lips, her chin, and her neck before resting my head on her shoulder. "You are so much better than my dreams," she whispers.

I smile into her neck, kissing it lightly and reply, "I'm so glad you remembered me."

* * *

**A/N: I'll be posting another chapter in the next couple of weeks. We have to find out if these two crazy kids are sexually compatible after all!**

**Big thank you to bornonhalloween and Chaya Sarah for pre-reading and beta skills and CaraNo for my gorgeous banner (link on profile). Love to each of you.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: *waves* Hi! Sorry everyone! Epic fail on my part for this taking so long. EPIC.**

**I was asked to (read: coerced into) write this by my sweet banner maker who wanted more. I took that to mean more smut;)**

**Thank you to Yummy, Intricacy, Born, and Chaya for working their magic on this. Love them hard!**

**Hope you enjoy:)**

* * *

I anxiously check my phone for Bella's text indicating her plane has landed. It's scheduled to arrive on time, but I arrived at baggage claim thirty minutes early just in case.

Saying goodbye to her immediately after we reunited, only holding her for a few minutes, was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. Since Bella was already running late for the airport, there was no extra time we could squeeze out of our reunion, so we quickly exchanged numbers, and she promised to call me when her plane landed in New York. I barely lasted twenty minutes before texting her.

**Your mom used to call you Bellarie … Does she still?**

_LOL…yes! Thankfully she doesn't pull out the Bella Marie anymore;) xo_

That's pretty much how the entire week went. Every spare moment we had, we were sending each other questions—rediscovering each other one text at a time.

_Do you still love chocolate ice cream with cake smashed up in it? xo_

**Is there another way? Of course! But my favorite is rocky road now.**

_Noted. Favorite movie? _

**Easy! Dazed and Confused – it's a cult classic!**

_Figures!_

**What's yours?**

_Don't laugh… but The Princess Bride._

**As you wiiiish!**

_Gah! See! Epic movie! Though I have to confess, Billy Madison is a close second. The bathtub scene kills me every time._

**LOL Stop looking at me swan! **

That's how they started out at least. Over the past two days, our texts have turned a little explicit—okay, a _lot_ explicit. Once we started talking about the dreams she detailed in her journal, there was no stopping the subtle innuendo that quickly turned into full-on sexting.

Bella's taken delight in torturing me with her dirty texts but proved that she was as affected by them as I was when she convinced Jasper and Alice to wait until five to have their welcome home barbeque. That gives us one hour alone, and I don't plan on wasting a second of it. I've been sporting a half-woody since I woke up this morning, and the text I woke up to only made matters worse.

_Eat lots of pineapple for breakfast … ;) xo_

**Please tell me you're suggesting road head.**

_Mebbeh ;-x_

Before I allow my thoughts to return to our drive home, my phone vibrates and I hold myself back from tearing through the security checkpoint when I see Bella's text.

_Just landed! Taxiing to our gate! You here? Can't wait! xo_

**Yep! Waiting at baggage claim. I considered buying a ticket to meet you at the gate ;)**

_Ha! I wouldn't have been all that surprised! Just pulled up… see you in a few. xo_

I don't bother responding, figuring she's probably already tucked her phone away though my finger twitches over the phone in my pocket so I don't miss a vibration.

Several minutes later, people start filing through security and surrounding the baggage carousel. I inch closer but try to stay out of the way of everyone jockeying position. The anticipation of finally seeing Bella again increases exponentially as each person passes by me.

_Finally,_ her bouncing head pops into view, and I can tell she's scanning the crowd for me. When her eyes meet mine, it's as if everything else disappears. I can feel the string that connects us, pulling us closer together and even though it's unnecessary, I raise my hand to wave.

Her face lights up as she picks up speed, doing that half-run half-walk thing, while trying not to knock down other passengers. At last she's through security, and within three quick steps we're standing in front of one another. She's dressed casually again in jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt with a picture of three sets of feet _en pointe_. (This is not information I would have known a week ago, by the way.) Two are wearing ballet flats while the one in the middle has on a pair of chucks. The caption reads: "Be Original." A huge smile breaks out on my face. This shirt could have been made with her in mind.

After seven days of waiting and teasing each other, Bella is finally in front of me, and I can't tear my eyes off of her long enough to greet her properly. When she breathes, "Hi," she finally brings me out of my stupor, and I chuckle at my awkwardness and hold my arms open. Dropping her book bag to the ground, she jumps into my arms. I crush her against me just as tightly as she squeezes my neck, and I feel my entire body relax. Burying my face in the crook of her neck, I breathe in her scent and lock it to memory. My mind is fighting with itself—part of me wanting to kiss her and the other not wanting to let her go long enough to do so.

Ultimately, my need to kiss her wins out, and I set her back on the ground. Keeping my arms around her, I lean down to finally brush my lips against hers again. Just as I open my mouth to deepen the kiss, I hear, "Bella?"

Groaning, I look up to see a tall, shaggy-haired blond guy who looks like he took one too many steroids.

"James … hi!" Bella says, unwinding herself from me.

That's not good.

And who the fuck is James?

"Hey! I thought that was you sitting in front of me in the plane, but I didn't want to make a fool of myself if it was someone else," he says, going in for a hug.

Stubbornly, I refuse to let go of Bella, so she ends up accepting an awkward one-armed hug.

"So, were you visiting your parents?" he asks, not yet acknowledging my presence.

"Yep, for a whole week. It was nice," she comments before gesturing to me. "James, this is Edward…"

"Her boyfriend," I say, holding my hand out to shake his.

"Yes, my boyfriend. Edward, this is James. We dated when I first started at Northwestern," Bella says as she side-eyes me with a smile on her face.

So _this_ is the ex she told me about while we were chatting over the past week. Like mine, Bella's dating resume is fairly small, and apparently this is the only guy who managed to stick with her for more than a couple months. She admitted that it simply became convenient to stay with him after a certain point, but she eventually put an end to the relationship.

"Nice to meet you, James," I say as he squeezes my hand just a little too hard.

"You too, man." Turning back to Bella, he says, "Well, it was good seeing you again. My brother's supposed to be here somewhere, so I guess I'll see you around?"

"Sure thing. See you later." He glances briefly at me, and I give him a two-finger wave, ready for him to be gone.

The moment clearly ruined, Bella rolls her eyes at my pouty face and pulls me to the baggage carousel. I follow behind her, reining in my desire to scoop her up and run to my car without the bag. I'll be happy to buy her new luggage.

Fortunately, Bella spots her bag right away, and I grab it quickly and head toward the exit, passing James who's standing with his luggage in one hand and his phone in the other. Bella gives him a small wave as I lean down and whisper in her ear, "There's a chance I had pineapple salad for breakfast this morning," I pause before adding, "and washed it down with a glass of pineapple juice."

Bella bursts out laughing, and when she looks at me, I can see the mischief in her eyes. "Oh, reallyful?"

Smirking, I nod. "Reallyful." I stop walking and pull her closer to me, bending down to finally greet her properly.

Just as my tongue swipes at her bottom lip, we're interrupted again. "Bella!"

_Seriously_?

She gives me a small peck before plastering a smile on her face and turning toward James. "Yeah?"

"Sorry. I hate to bother you guys, but could you please give me a ride? My brother can't make it."

Bella glances at me, her bottom lip between her teeth, and as much as I want to tell this guy to go fuck himself or at least call a cab, I simply nod my head, hoping he lives in my neighborhood so we don't lose much time.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it," he says. Sighing, I grab Bella's hand, and we start across the parking lot.

As it turns out, James lives so far away, I end up navigating Chicago's streets for almost an hour while James natters on about whatever random shit happens to pop into his head. I'd be grateful for the break in conversation every time he accepts a phone call if he'd actually use his phone, but apparently, he thinks he's protecting the President and pops his Bluetooth into his ear so he has to yell his entire conversation from the backseat.

I'm in such a foul mood by the time we drop James off, Bella doesn't even try to engage me as we drive to Jasper's, choosing to play Candy Crush on her phone instead to allow me time to cool down. As soon as I park the car, I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean over the console, slipping my hand behind Bella's ear and cupping her neck as my fingers slide through her hair. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let him ruin our trip home. Can I please get a proper kiss now?"

Bella hooks her hand on my wrist and smiles at me with bright eyes. "Of course. I'm sorry, too. I didn't know he lived all the way out there."

"It's fine. It's over with now. Just kiss me. Please."

Bella leans forward and gently grazes my lips with hers. Her tongue slides across my bottom lip, and I gladly open to let her in just as there's a loud banging on my car window.

Groaning, I drop my head and mutter, "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

"Break it up, lovebirds!" Alice chirps from outside. "You have all weekend together, and you're already thirty minutes late. The beer's getting warm. Chop chop!"

"You have a fridge for that!" I yell back at her.

Giggling, Bella places a quick kiss on the top of my head before getting out of the car and following Alice inside. When I join everyone on the back deck, beer in hand, Jasper smirks in my direction and raises his eyebrows. Apparently this is his couth way of asking how things went with Bella after I picked her up. Sighing, I shake my head and look at Bella.

"Have you told Alice that James asked about her while we were driving him back to his house in bum-fucking Egypt?"

She rolls her eyes at me again and laughs. "Not yet. I was just getting to that part, but thank you for reminding me."

"Why on earth did you drive him home?" Jasper asks as I sit in one of their deck chairs and watch him place marinated chicken on the grill.

Bella chimes in as she threads her fingers through my hair. "His brother was supposed to pick him up, but he ran off the road and got a flat tire on the way to the airport. He was on my flight, and we ran into each other as we were deplaning, so when he found out his brother couldn't come, he asked us for a ride." I lean into her touch immediately, silently pleading for more.

"So, wait," Alice starts, "you guys haven't been out of the car since you left the airport?"

"No, so thank you for interrupting us outside," Bella says, smirking at her friend.

Jasper glances at me and laughs. "No wonder you look so pissed off. I feel like I should offer you our bed."

"Gross, Jasper. They're adults. I think they can wait a few more hours," Alice chides.

I grab Bella's hand and tug her onto my lap. Her ass rubs against my ever-present semi when she's around, and I hold back a groan. Sensing my discomfort, she wraps one arm around my neck and leans down to whisper in my ear. "I don't know about you, but I'm thinking Alice doesn't know what the fuck she's talking about. Meet me in the bathroom?"

My dick stirs as her lips graze against my ear, and I take in the full meaning behind her words. "Fuck yes," I whisper.

"I'll slip away as soon as I can," she says before biting my ear.

"You two are so damn adorable, it's not even funny," Alice comments as she eyes our whispered conversation. "I can't believe you knew each other when you were kids. That's some crazy shit."

"Seriously," Jasper speaks up, "all this time and I never knew my parents live in your old house. What're the odds? Edward and I dismissed the idea completely the day he moved in because it seemed so far-fetched."

Bella looks down at me. "You knew the day you moved in?"

"Not at all," I answered. "When Jasper mentioned your name was Bella, I immediately thought of you, but we figured the chances of there being two Bellas were greater than you being the same person."

"Yeah, it is a pretty big leap, I guess. I'm glad you guys were wrong though," she says with a wiggle of her hips.

"How much longer until the chicken is ready, babe?" Alice interrupts. "The vegetable packets need to cook about twenty minutes."

"Bring them out now," Jasper says as he moves the chicken around the grill.

Bella kisses my temple before getting off my lap. "I'm going to help Alice and then go freshen up."

Jasper eyes me as the girls step inside the kitchen. "I'd be a mess if I were you, man."

Snorting, I glare at him. "What makes you think I'm not? I wanted to hand the guy all of the cash I had and tell him to take a cab, but what was I gonna do?"

When the girls return with the food, Bella immediately heads back inside while casually tossing a wink in my direction. My mind starts working in overtime trying to figure out how I can get away without being obvious when suddenly my phone rings.

I'm so distracted, I don't even look at the caller ID, so I'm surprised when I hear Bella's voice on the other end. "Pretend I'm your mom, and excuse yourself to talk to me."

"Hey, Mom." I hold up one finger to Jasper and Alice while motioning inside. "You're fucking brilliant," I tell Bella as I walk through the house.

"I know. Now get your sexy ass in here!" she says before hanging up.

My phone is in my pocket, and I'm opening the bathroom door within seconds. I don't waste any time; with two long strides, I'm at her side, gripping her waist and lifting her to the middle of the double sinks. I crash my mouth down against hers, and my tongue forces its way inside her mouth. I'm so wound up from a week of teasing foreplay and now hours of built up sexual tension, I forget to be gentle. My hands are squeezing her hips, my teeth are clashing against hers, my tongue is exploring her mouth, and my cock is rubbing up against her belly in an effort to find some kind of release.

I slip my hands beneath her shirt and groan at the first touch of the smooth skin covering her ribcage. Bella raises her arms over her head and tears her mouth away from mine. "Off," she demands. "Hurry up. They're gonna figure it out soon, and I don't trust Alice enough not to interrupt us!"

"She wouldn't dare," I gasp, pulling Bella's shirt off as my eyes roam over her body.

Bella unhooks her bra and tosses it to the floor. Her hands reach for my pants and she yanks me forward, already working on the button. I close my mouth around her nipple and suck it in, causing Bella to moan loudly.

Bella unzips my pants and shoves her hand inside my boxers, then takes my cock in her hand, squeezing it lightly as she pumps up and down a few times. "Fuck," I mutter. "For the record, I didn't imagine our first time like this, though I'm thinking they're close enough we might be able to mark exhibitionism off our to-do list."

Bella pumps me again while pushing my jeans and boxers down my legs. "I kind of love how our first time isn't sappy and romantic. This story is much more interesting … it goes right along with how we fell in love." She squeezes my cock and grins. "Hard and fast."

"Oh god," I groan and look down to see a bead of cum leaking out of my tip. Leaning into her, I kiss her again as I unbutton her jeans. I break our kiss to pull them off along with her lacey panties and grab a condom from my wallet while I'm at it. Pulling her to the edge of the counter, I lean in and kiss her again, groaning when her legs wrap around my waist pulling me closer.

I slip my hand between us and slide one finger into her wet pussy, but her teeth pull at my bottom lip, and she practically begs, "Please, I'm ready."

Making fast work of the condom, I line myself up and slowly sink into her. Despite Bella's instructions of hard and fast, I hold still for a moment when our hips meet, and kiss her gently, savoring finally being able to be inside her.

When Bella's hands travel down to grab my ass and then tug me forward though, I give her exactly what she wants. Bella leans back on the sink, angling herself so she can push back against my thrusts. I'm already teetering on the edge as I watch my dick slide in and out of her, so when her fingers find her clit and start rubbing in circles, I drag my eyes away. Unfortunately for my stamina, my gaze lands on her face.

Her cheeks are tinged pink, and her lips are slightly parted as she lets out strangled whimpers, obviously trying to stay quiet. It's the sexiest thing I've ever seen, and instantly I commit it to memory. I feel Bella clench around me as she lets out a small gasp, so I flick her hand away and take over her ministrations myself. She grips my shoulder with one hand while I pick up my pace and rub her clit as fast as I can. Bella's eyes squeeze shut, and she sits up to wrap her arms completely around me, her mouth open in a silent scream while her orgasm streaks through her. Her entire body is trembling, and my dick is aching as she spasms around me.

When she's finally calmed down, I pick up my pace again while she mumbles incoherently against my neck as she kisses and licks every inch of skin she can reach. Within a couple of minutes, I'm right back on the edge, and my orgasm overtakes my entire body, blinding me as I teeter on the edge of reality and fucking perfect fantasy.

Breathing heavily, we stay wrapped around each other for a few moments before I kiss the side of her mouth and slip out of her to dispose of the condom.

"Fucking hell," Bella says, "that was hot."

A huge smile takes over my face, and I grip her hips again and lean in for a kiss. She laughs and offers me one more kiss before hopping off the counter. There's a knock on the door just as we start pulling on our clothes, and Alice's voice filters through. "I know what you guys are doing. You have five minutes before the food is ready. I _will_ come in if you're not down there in time!"

"Sorry, Alice!" I call out feebly. "Be right down!"

I can't bring myself to regret what just happened though because when I look down at Bella, she's practically glowing as she wraps her arms around my waist and buries her face in my chest. "Maybe this is one story we _don't_ tell the grandkids," she mumbles.

Laughing again, I kiss the top of her head and squeeze her tightly. "Bet your pretty ass they'll never hear this story. Nah, the only thing they need to know is that I found my soul mate when I was just five years old."

* * *

**A/N: AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTAAHHH! **


End file.
